Learner Autonomy
Is today’s educational system promoting learner autonomy?
or hurting ?
Learner autonomy in brief:
Henri Holec, known as the “father” of learner autonomy, coined the phrase “learner autonomy” in 1981, defining it as “the ability of a learner to take control of his or her own learning.” E-learning is a natural fit for this method, which was originally developed for foreign language study.
Benson(2013) defined it as the capacity to take control of one’s own learning.
What researchers say:
“Across different studies, the percentage of teachers who feel their learners have a fair degree of autonomy is generally not high (Ranosa-Madrunio, Tarrayo, Tupas, & Valdez, 2016, in the Philippines is an exception here with a figure of 70%, but 40%–60% is more typical).”
(Research credit from : “Language learner autonomy in a tertiary context-Teachers’ beliefs and practices” by Simon Borg Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway Yousif Alshumaimeri College of Education, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia with SAGE publications)
What does classroom experience say — impediments to promote:
In reality, students in the classroom are fearful of making mistakes, and as a result, they are uninterested in sharing their ideas. This nature hampers a student’s natural curiosity.
One significant impediment to promoting learner autonomy in the classroom is that teachers, while theoretically supportive of learner autonomy, are less optimistic about the feasibility of implementing it than they are about its desirability. But at the same time, many institutional and learner-related factors too obstruct the growth of student autonomy, including prescribed curricula, motivation in the classroom, self-awareness, and the inability to work independently without the assistance of mentors and peers.
Interesting observation:
Self-learning and learner autonomy are inborn instincts in all human beings. When there is a pressing need, this natural instinct comes to the surface. For example, in India’s major cities, it is common to see people who have no formal education but are able to communicate fluently in three or four different languages. It speaks of the natural process of self-learning that can take place regardless of educational background. So,there is a great deal of potential to increase learner autonomy in languages because they will allow learners to learn through circumstance. It encourages a learner to improve his or her self-learning through learner autonomy.
The role of classroom and teacher:
Learner autonomy develops naturally in the classroom as a result of the teacher’s guidance, encouragement, and helping hand. It is fostered most effectively when teachers encourage students when they make a mistake and assist them in paving the way to the correct path. This will help students become more confident about taking challenges and making mistakes and having a chance to fix them. They will develop a capacity for self-correction. It would become one of the most valuable life skills imparted in the classroom.
Certain activities and initiations by the teacher in the classroom would be used to promote learner autonomy. These initiations include the following:
- Providing opportunities for students to develop their own learning
- Accepting students’ mistakes and encouraging them to learn from them
- Encouraging students to attempt difficult tasks
- Enable them in planning and completing their tasks.
- Encourage them to learn from their errors.
- Appreciation for self-achievement
More than anything else, The classroom should explain to the students that mistakes are inevitable when learning something new for the first time, and that they are an opportunity to improve one’s understanding and application. The inventions of Thomas Alva Edison serve as a model for how one can learn from one’s mistakes and go on to achieve greater things.
Finally,When it comes to educational goals, this must be a desirable one, and teachers must believe in their students’ abilities to self-learn. At the same time, opportunities to work with and learn from others, in addition to a positive increase in the learner’s autonomy, are critical.
Final thoughts on this article is: it continues to be rooted in the belief that the classroom is a critical context in which learner autonomy can be fostered.
